Source: Nation
Source: Nation
KARACHI: Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, has extended his heartiest congratulations and warm wishes to the Hindu community of Pakistan and to everyone celebrating Diwali around the world.
The PPP chairman said that every lamp lit for Diwali carries a message of peace, hope, love and light, one that rises above distinctions of religion, colour and race to brighten every heart and every home.
He said the Hindu community is an inseparable part of Pakistan, and its contribution to nation-building and development is invaluable. “Our joys and our sorrows are shared,” he said.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that under the unanimously adopted Constitution given to the country by Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, all non-Muslim citizens are entitled to equal rights and opportunities.
Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto struggled to secure an effective role for minorities in national decision-making, he noted, while President Asif Ali Zardari, by marking 11 September as National Minorities Day, drew attention to the services of minorities and the part they play in national life. He said the PPP remains committed to protecting the rights and promoting the welfare of all minorities.
Extending his good wishes to Pakistan’s Hindu community, he said: “May the lamps of happiness always stay lit in your lives, and may every home glow with the light of peace, love and prosperity. Happy Diwali!”
Source: brecorder
RAWALPINDI: A tragic shooting claimed the life of a female television news anchor at her residence in Rawalpindi, prompting police to take her husband into custody as investigators probe the circumstances surrounding her death.
The deceased was identified as Rabia Ahsan, who was found dead inside her house in the Gulshanabad area along Adiala Road, police said.
According to initial police findings, she sustained a gunshot wound. Investigators are examining the available evidence to determine how the fatal shooting occurred and whether it was accidental or deliberate.
City Police Officer (CPO) Rawalpindi confirmed that the victim’s husband, Ahsan, had been taken into custody for questioning in connection with the incident.
In his initial statement to investigators, Ahsan claimed that the weapon had discharged accidentally and denied intentionally firing the shot. “I did not fire the shot intentionally; it went off accidentally,” he reportedly told police.
He also pointed out that Rabia’s mother and sister were present in the same house, suggesting that investigators question them to establish further details about the incident. “You can ask her sister and mother, as they are also living in the house,” he reportedly told investigators.
Police are recording statements from relevant individuals and examining the available evidence to establish the exact circumstances surrounding Rabia’s death.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
Source: brecorder
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Customs has initiated legal proceedings against M/s Shippo Private Limited, an industrial unit operating in the Export Processing Zone (EPZ), Risalpur, following the detection of alleged import irregularities and a substantial shortage of goods during audit and stock-taking proceedings.
During an audit of industrial units operating in EPZ Risalpur, the Collectorate of Customs Appraisement, Peshawar, received information from the Directorate of Transit Trade, Karachi, regarding the interception of a consignment imported by Shippo Private Limited at Karachi Port. The consignment was intercepted for detailed scrutiny prior to the issuance of transhipment permission (TP) for EPZ Risalpur.
Examination reportedly revealed that the imported goods did not correspond with those authorised under the unit’s licence, indicating the alleged importation of unauthorised goods. Accordingly, the Directorate of Transit Trade, Karachi, registered an FIR in the matter.
READ ALSO: EPZ Risalpur consignment: Rs277m misdeclaration case uncovered
Subsequently, a focused audit conducted by the Collectorate of Customs Appraisement, Peshawar, revealed a substantial shortage of goods at the unit, involving potential evasion of customs duties and taxes estimated at approximately Rs. 117 million. Consequently, a separate FIR was registered against the unit on 06 November 2026 under the relevant provisions of law.
Meanwhile, a fire broke out at the premises of the unit on 08 November 2026. The cause and circumstances of the incident have yet to be established. The competent Zone Authority is expected to examine the incident in accordance with the applicable procedures.
Pakistan Customs remains committed to enforcing customs laws, safeguarding government revenue and ensuring transparency and accountability in the operations of units functioning within Export Processing Zones. All legal proceedings in the matter will be pursued strictly in accordance with law.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
Source: brecorder
PESHAWAR: In a significant relief for the tobacco industry, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) has ruled that Federal Excise Duty (FED) cannot be levied on green leaf or hand-stemmed tobacco unless it has undergone processing and conversion through a Green Leaf Threshing (GLT) unit.
The court also ordered the immediate release of 3,375 kilograms of seized hand-stemmed tobacco and a vehicle belonging to a tobacco company, setting aside the Federal Excise Duty demand against the consignment.
A division bench comprising Justice Syed Arshad Ali and Justice Muhammad Faheem Wali announced the decision while disposing of a writ petition filed by M/s Pak Hills Tobacco Company Pvt Ltd against the Federation of Pakistan and other respondents.
READ ALSO: Tobacco farmers facing financial uncertainty
Advocate Ishtiaq Ahmad Senior appeared on behalf of the petitioner.
In its detailed judgment, the bench observed that green leaf and hand-stemmed tobacco that had not undergone processing and conversion through a GLT unit did not fall within the definition of “un-manufactured tobacco” under Section 2(24 A) of the Federal Excise Act, 2005. Therefore, such tobacco could not be subjected to Federal Excise Duty under Section 3 of the Act.
The court further clarified that hand-stemming, even when performed with tools or machinery, could not independently be treated as a manufacturing process warranting the imposition of federal excise duty.
Setting aside the relevant show-cause notices and orders, the bench directed the authorities to release the seized tobacco, vehicle, equipment and records and immediately de-seal the premises and machinery.
However, the court allowed the authorities to retain any specifically identified stock for a maximum period of 15 days if they had grounds to believe that it had been processed through a GLT unit. In such cases, the authorities must issue a reasoned order after providing the affected party an opportunity of hearing.
The judgment also struck down compulsory registration notices issued on the premise that hand-stemming amounted to manufacturing.
Nevertheless, the court clarified that the authorities would remain free to initiate fresh proceedings if evidence established that an individual or company was operating a GLT unit.
The bench further observed that the setting aside of the FED-related proceedings would not automatically extinguish any separate liability concerning sales tax, penalties or confiscation, which would have to be determined independently in accordance with the law.
Granting specific relief to Pak Hills Tobacco Company, the court ordered the release of the 3,375 kilograms of hand-stemmed tobacco and the vehicle, while setting aside the FED demand. The question of any applicable sales tax liability on the consignment was left open for determination under the relevant law.
The ruling provides important judicial clarification on the distinction between hand-stemming and industrial tobacco processing, reaffirming that the levy of federal excise duty must strictly comply with the definitions and requirements prescribed under the law.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
Source: brecorder
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Saturday said he had asked mixed martial arts promoter Dana White to serve as White House press secretary and called on him to bring some fighters along as assistants “even though some are not from our country.”
White, chief executive of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, is a “violent Fighter and Warrior,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
Trump also asked for six current or former UFC titleholders to join White, including two athletes from Russia’s Dagestan region, Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov; Americans Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier and “Kayla Harris,” likely a reference to Kayla Harrison; and Amanda Nunes, a Brazilian native who became a US citizen last year.
READ ALSO: White House press secretary Zacharia fired in less than a week after facing criticism
“We need these people to defend us against the Lunatic Left,” Trump wrote.
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday while in London after a boxing event, White said he would meet with Trump at the White House on Monday.
The White House press secretary role has been vacant since Katie Zacharia’s tenure ended last month after less than a week. Zacharia replaced Karoline Leavitt, who left the role at the end of August.
White and Trump first worked together in the early 2000s, when Trump’s Taj Mahal casino hosted some UFC events. But they have become closer allies since the UFC chief publicly backed Trump’s presidential campaign in 2016.
Trump in recent years has attended several UFC events, and in June the White House hosted a night of UFC fights as part of celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of US independence.
The White House press office already has a former UFC spokesperson in White House Director of Communications Steven Cheung, who worked for White’s organization from 2013 to 2016.
Source: brecorder
Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev vowed on Sunday that their countries’ alliance would remain solid, in a show of unity aimed at overcoming a public rift between the close neighbours.
Tensions flared in September, when Baku revised school uniform regulations to prohibit clothing deemed incompatible with secular education, effectively barring Islamic headscarves in classrooms.
Erdogan’s government has dismantled restrictions on hijabs in Turkiye.
Azerbaijan’s move sparked protests at home and drew criticism from Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP). Presidential adviser Oktay Saral demanded that Azerbaijan reverse the restrictions.
Aliyev’s ruling party, Yeni Azerbaijan, denounced the comments as “interference in Azerbaijan’s internal affairs”.
Baku also declared 31 Turkish nationals, including an opposition lawmaker and party leaders, persona non grata over critical social media posts.
Erdogan subsequently dismissed Saral, but Aliyev stayed away from an Oct 30 summit of Turkic leaders in Ankara — despite a personal invitation from Erdogan. Instead, he sent Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.
On Sunday, as Azerbaijan marked Victory Day commemorating a 2020 war with Armenia, Erdogan arrived in the country’s Fuzuli district, which Baku recaptured from Armenian forces six years ago.
A guard of honour lined up at the airport, where Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva welcomed Erdogan and his wife Emine.
“With the permission of Almighty God, our unity will endure forever,” Erdogan told a joint press conference with Aliyev.
“This unity of hearts, which we describe with the motto ‘One Nation, Two States,’ is an everlasting torch that draws strength from our shared past and illuminates our future.”
Aliyev said the alliance — “an important factor across a vast geographical area” — remained unshaken.
“Together, Azerbaijan and Turkiye are even stronger,” he said, adding that Erdogan’s visit “shows the whole world our unity”.
“I am confident that this unity will last forever.”
Analysts say the quarrel reflects deeper unease over Baku’s diplomatic independence and its close ties to Israel.
“Azerbaijan-Turkiye tensions stemmed from the fact that Baku does not see itself as the younger brother in this alliance and insists on relations between equal partners,” Elkhan Shahinoglu, head of the Baku-based Atlas Research Centre, told AFP.
“The hijab dispute is a symptom of a deeper rift,” Gonul Tol, an analyst at the Washington-based Middle East Institute, wrote on X.
“Tensions have long simmered over a number of issues including Azerbaijan’s sovereignty, Ankara’s influence in Baku, diverging policies toward Israel, and Turkiye’s rapprochement with Armenia.”
Baku has forged strong military and economic ties with Israel, which supplied Azerbaijan with weapons during its 2020 war with Armenia over the breakaway Karabakh region.
This angered Turkiye, which has grown increasingly hostile towards Israel over the Gaza conflict. Erdogan has accused Israel of genocide.
Turkiye is also seeking to normalise relations with Armenia, whose border it closed in the 1990s in solidarity with Azerbaijan, while linking progress to Armenian-Azerbaijani peace efforts.
Nov 8 marks Azerbaijan’s capture of the city of Shusha in Karabakh during its war with Armenia, a victory achieved with Turkish backing.
The Turkic-speaking allies describe their relationship as “one nation, two states” and, despite the friction, remain closely bound by military and energy ties.
Turkiye serves as a key transit route for Azerbaijani oil and gas exports to Western markets.
An ex-Soviet republic, Azerbaijan is a mainly Shia Muslim country, but after decades of Soviet rule it emerged as one of the most secular states in the Muslim world.
Source: dawn
Israel’s former military chief Gadi Eisenkot started the tough task on Sunday of forming a government, reaching out to Benjamin Netanyahu’s allies as he warned the veteran prime minister had brought the country to a historic crisis.
Eisenkot, 66, a political novice who has vowed to bridge Israel’s deep polarisation under Netanyahu, formally received a mandate from President Isaac Herzog, giving him 28 days to form a government despite his bloc lacking a clear majority.
“We are in a state of emergency, approaching a point of no return for the State of Israel,” Eisenkot said at a ceremony at the presidential office.
Both Eisenkot and Herzog acknowledged Israel’s growing isolation under Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court over allegations of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza.
“We are in the midst of a devastating diplomatic crisis. Even our closest friends and strategic allies are saying their relationship with Israel must be reassessed,” Eisenkot said.
“We must form a national emergency government. This will require creative and unconventional political steps,” Eisenkot stressed.
He said Israeli democracy was at a vulnerable moment at a time when it faced immense challenges. “There is great urgency for new leadership, leadership that people can look in the eye and trust,” he said.
Eisenkot appealed to Netanyahu’s Likud Party as well as the far-right party of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to join — but only with himself as prime minister.
“My door is open and my hand is extended, wholeheartedly and willingly, to anyone who understands the gravity of this moment,” he said.
Meanwhile, Herzog cited a threat of attack from Iran, the need to progress towards peace in Gaza and negotiations with Lebanon and other neighbours.
“We need to start shaping the political horizon in the region, and we also have to present the 20 points of the agreement in the Gaza strip, and consultations with our neighbours in Lebanon and the region,” he was quoted as saying in a translation by Al Jazeera.
“We also have to deal with the sanctions and the political challenges in light of the recent political developments in the United States,” the Israeli president said.
In the United States, the most vital ally of Israel, Democrats on Tuesday swept the midterm elections with calls to rein in Israel after the devastation in Gaza and the unpopular Iran war which Netanyahu launched with President Donald Trump.
Eisenkot, born to a family of working-class Moroccan immigrants, would be the first Sephardic prime minister — a community mostly descended from Middle Eastern or North African Jews — in a country long dominated by an Ashkenazi elite with ties to Europe.
Netanyahu is Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, having led the country on and off for nearly two decades. He has taken the country in a sharply rightward direction and led wars against Gaza, Lebanon and Iran since the Oct 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas.
Netanyahu called for a unity government of all Zionist parties to preserve a Jewish state, while giving no indication whether he was prepared to serve under Eisekenkot’s leadership.
“This is the will of the people and the need of the hour,” he said in a statement, ruling out a coalition government with Arabs — who make up 21 per cent of Israel’s population.
Nearly all Jewish parties now share Netanyahu’s rejection of an eventual independent Palestinian state, the basis of internationally endorsed peace efforts since the 1990s.
Eisenkot’s potential pathways to power include trying to form a minority government with Arab party support for key issues; forming a coalition with ultra-Orthodox parties that he and his allies have shunned in the past; or forging a unity government with Netanyahu. All three options face formidable obstacles.
Eisenkot has appeared to suggest he is willing to start off with a minority government — relying on outside votes from Arab-Israeli parties — before bringing other lawmakers into his coalition.
He said he will call on all parties to join who meet his main principles. These include recognition of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state; a duty of national service for all to strengthen the military and expand its ranks; and recognition of Hamas as a terrorist organisation and a commitment to destroying its military and governing capacity.
“I am convinced that it is possible and right to form a new government quickly, one that will win a large majority in the Knesset,” Eisenkot said, referring to Israel’s parliament.
Eisenkot now has 28 days plus a possible 14-day extension. If he fails, Netanyahu will likely get his shot at forming a government. Should he also be unable, new elections could be called.
Assaf Shapira, a political expert at the Israel Democracy Institute, said Eisenkot would face an exceptionally fragile government if it only had 48 lawmakers in the 120-member parliament, with extensive negotiations needed on every piece of legislation.
Eisenkot has vowed to put an end to rampant violence against Palestinians by extremist West Bank settlers supported by Netanyahu’s government and has warned that the incumbent premier does not have the mandate for another attack on Iran.
But he shares Netanyahu’s hawkish security views that have hardened since Oct 7, 2023: he opposes Palestinian statehood and says Hamas’s military wing must be destroyed or dismantled.
He emphasised his security credentials on the campaign trail, citing his “Dahiya doctrine” of responding to attacks with disproportionate force, which he deployed as a commander during Israel’s 2006 war with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Both Eisenkot and Netanyahu say Israeli troops will not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas is disarmed, and that Israel is prepared to restart fighting to achieve this.
Although Eisenkot has criticised settler violence against Palestinians in occupied West Bank, which has surged since 2023, he favours settlement in principle and says it should comply with Israeli law.
He opposes settlements built without authorisation, aims to dismantle outposts in areas where they are forbidden and has pledged to rein in violent settlers.
In consultations last week with Herzog, Eisenkot received recommendations from parties accounting for 67 lawmakers, against 46 for Netanyahu.
But that vote count included Israeli Arabs, whose seat haul surged to a historic high on anger over Netanyahu’s government and whom several parties oppose having in government.
Potentially making Eisenkot’s job tougher is the position of one opposition leader, Avigdor Lieberman of the Israel Our Home party, who has ruled out a unity government with Netanyahu or a minority government that has backing from Arab parties.
Lieberman, a former Netanyahu aide turned sharp critic who nonetheless shares his hawkish views, has been adamant against any alliance with Arab Israelis, who are descendants of Palestinians who stayed after Israel’s creation in 1948.
But Lieberman has softened his stance on sitting with ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties as long as they agree to support a law under which ultra-Orthodox men serve in the military.
Taking back one of his signature campaign pledges, Lieberman instead voiced an openness to an alliance with ultra-Orthodox Jews, whose almost singular priority is ensuring that they remain exempt from military service.
The exemption for the ultra-Orthodox — whose two main parties had been aligned with Netanyahu but could push Eisenkot to a majority — has been a source of growing resentment for many Israelis as reservists fight on multiple tours of duty.
Lieberman said on Sunday he still backed conscription for all Israelis but that he had to make “difficult decisions” for the higher priority of ousting Netanyahu, who faces corruption charges that could land him in jail if he loses power.
Naftali Bennett, the second strongest opposition leader after Lieberman, has also been outspoken against the ultra-Orthodox community’s military exemption and has stayed quiet since Lieberman’s about-face.
In Tel Aviv, Neri Bar-On, who works in educational technology, said he expected Eisenkot to succeed in forming a government.
“But the problems run deeper,” he said.
“The country is facing a massive internal conflict; even if he manages to form a government, it won’t solve the underlying issues.”
Source: dawn
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has introduced a new facility allowing taxpayers to apply for the amendment or cancellation of electronic sales tax invoices even after the prescribed 72-hour time limit has expired.
The facility, available through the FBR’s IRIS portal, requires prior approval from the concerned Commissioner Inland Revenue (CIR). It is intended to help taxpayers correct errors or discrepancies in valid electronic sales tax (DI) invoices that are discovered after the 72-hour period.
According to a user manual issued by the Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited (PRAL), taxpayers can submit an application through IRIS and attach supporting documents for review by the tax authorities.
Here is a step-by-step guide to using the facility.
How to apply for amendment or cancellation
Step 1: Log in to IRIS
Log in to your account on the FBR’s IRIS portal. From the main menu, open the Sales Tax section and select Applications.
Step 2: Select the relevant application
Choose “Application for Amendment in Electronic Sales Tax Invoice (after 72 hrs)” from the available options.
Select the relevant tax period and click Continue.
Step 3: Add the invoice
Open the DI Sale Invoice section and click Add Invoice.
You will need the FBR Invoice Transaction Number, also referred to as the Master Invoice Number. This number can be found in the DI Invoice Management section for the selected tax period. It is the number appearing before the hyphen in the invoice number.
Enter the number in the search field and click Search. Select the relevant invoice from the results.
Step 4: Choose whether to amend or cancel
After selecting the invoice, choose one of the two available options:
– For amendment: Select Load For Modification. Open the invoice, click Edit, make the required changes and select Save Item.
– For cancellation: Select Load For Discard. Choose the invoice, click Delete/Discard and confirm the action by selecting Yes.
An invoice selected for amendment cannot also be included for cancellation in the same application. Similarly, an invoice selected for cancellation cannot be amended through that application.
Step 5: Attach supporting documents
Open the Attachments tab and click the + icon to upload the relevant supporting documents in PDF format. After attaching the documents, click OK.
Review the application and click Submit.
What happens after submission?
Once submitted, the application is forwarded to the tax authorities for review. The concerned tax officer or commissioner may seek further information or clarification through IRIS’s Internal Correspondence facility.
If clarification is requested, taxpayers can respond by opening Outbox, selecting Sales Tax and choosing Application for Amendment in Electronic Sales Tax Invoice (after 72 hrs).
Under the Assignment tab, select the relevant assignment and click Reply. Choose “Clarification Provided”, enter the required explanation and click Save.
The tax authorities will then review the application. The commissioner or tax officer can approve or reject individual invoice items or multiple items together.
Important restrictions to remember
Taxpayers cannot apply for amendment or cancellation of invoices that have already been linked to Annexure-C (Sales) of a sales tax return or a Federal Excise Return.
Applications are also not allowed for invoices that have already been approved by the commissioner under another application, previously submitted or rejected by the commissioner, or are awaiting a decision in another application.
While an application is pending, the taxpayer cannot submit Annexure-C of the sales tax return. The IRIS system will block its submission until a decision is made.
If the application is approved, the amended invoices become available for loading into Annexure-C, subject to system validation. If it is rejected, the original invoices remain unchanged and are loaded into Annexure-C and, where applicable, the Federal Excise Return.
Taxpayers may submit more than one application for the same tax period, provided the invoices included in each application do not fall under the restrictions listed above.
An example
A shop issues an electronic sales tax invoice for a laptop but later discovers that the sale amount, sales tax figure or other invoice details were entered incorrectly. If the mistake is found after five days, the taxpayer can no longer use the ordinary 72-hour facility.
Under the new procedure, the taxpayer can apply through IRIS to amend the eligible invoice, attach supporting documents and seek the commissioner’s approval. If an invoice was generated by mistake, the taxpayer can instead apply for its cancellation.
The changes or cancellation, however, are not automatic. They can only take effect after the application has been reviewed and approved by the concerned tax authority.
The above article is contributed by Baseer Ahmed, Head of Politics Desk at Business Recorder (Digital).
Source: brecorder